


Standing Up

by Quicksilvermad



Category: Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Bullying, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-09-21
Updated: 2013-09-21
Packaged: 2017-12-27 04:27:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 682
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/974331
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Quicksilvermad/pseuds/Quicksilvermad
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Daryl Dixon doesn't like bullies.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Standing Up

**Author's Note:**

> Warnings: AU set somewhere in the future.  
> Disclaimer: All rights for _The Walking Dead_ go to Robert Kirkman and AMC

They'd been heading in the same direction as the original group. It was a family of five—father, mother, daughter, and two sons. One of the boys was close to Carl's age, so he tried to engage Carl in a game of twenty questions. Daryl eased his stride to fall behind Glenn and Maggie, and he listened to the boy toss aside every one of Carl's guesses. 

"I give up," Carl said after his fifteenth try.

"What, are you stupid or something? It's your dumb hat."

"My hat's not dumb. It was my dad's."

"Then your dad's hat is dumb."

Carl frowned and picked up his pace to try and be even with Daryl. 

The boy laughed at him. "Now you're running away? What a pussy."

Daryl bristled. 

"I'm not a pussy!" Carl snapped over his shoulder. 

"Sure look like one to me."

Having had enough, Daryl stopped abruptly and whirled on the boy. "Dead people're walkin' around and your gonna pull this kinda shit?"

The boy blushed, but managed to look indignant at the same time. "You can't talk to me like that!" he cried.

Daryl frowned. "But it's just fine an' dandy fer you ta' talk like an asshole? Don't pick on people an' I won't have'ta talk at you like you are one."

The boy crossed his arms and mustered up his best glare. Carl, meanwhile, had taken a step halfway behind Daryl and watched the pair of them square off. 

"I'm serious as a heart attack, now, don't you go pickin' on someone fer yer own amusement. We got enough problems with walkers—don't need you antagonizin' the guy standin' next to ya when someone's liable ta' come around an' chew off yer scrawny little leg. Next time you got the need ta' mouth off like that, button yer lip. It ain't funny, and it ain't helpin'," Daryl said. 

As he spoke, the boy's parents had stepped closer to find out why this rough man had rounded on their son. 

"Don't talk to my son," said the husband. 

Daryl sucked his teeth and frowned over his shoulder at him. "Well, someone has ta' since you ain't."

"Excuse me?"

The group was stopped entirely with Rick handing Judith off to Beth to get closer to the conflict, his hand resting on his gun. "There a problem here?" he asked.

"Yeah, your lapdog is yelling at my son."

Daryl raised an eyebrow. "'Scuse me?"

"He wasn't yelling at all," said Carl. "He was just… Standing up for me."

Rick frowned at his son. "This kid was pickin' on you?"

Carl set his jaw and forced a short nod. 

"And you were settin' him straight?" Rick asked Daryl.

Daryl nodded. "Ain't ever a time 'er place fer it."

Rick pursed his lips. "Got it," he looked at the boy's father. "Someone's gotta do it," he said. "Got a problem with it, then you're on your own. We don't put up with that kinda shit in this group."

The mother grabbed her husband's elbow and shook her head. "Let it go, hon."

"Dad!" the boy shouted.

His mother shook her head. "No… No, son. He's right. You can't afford to act like you used to, and… And I won't put up with it, either. This man is right. It's not funny, and it's not helping."

With that, Daryl clapped a hand on Carl's shoulder and led him past the group to join Michonne and Carol up at the front of their convoy, leaving Rick to deal with the boy's father. Carl hung his head and sighed.

"Sorry, Daryl," he muttered.

"Hey, now, you ain't got nothin' ta' be sorry about, Little Man. He's the one who was bein' an asshole," Daryl patted his shoulder again and flicked the brim of his hat. "You know you don't gotta put up with that shit, right?"

Carl looked up at him and smiled a little tightly. "I get it."

"Good man," said Daryl.

They walked in silence for a while. Then, Carl nudged Daryl in the side. "Hey, Daryl?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks."

Daryl smiled. "Any time."


End file.
